Sling Fittings and Sling System for a Firearm

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a sling system utilizing a rear sling fitting for a long firearm, such as a rifle. Such fittings typically are positioned between the stock and receiver. It presents a fitting body with an aperture to slide over a rifle receiver tube and a connection bar extending from a reverse of the fitting body. A point-type sling attachment may then be attached to the connection bar and be able to slide left and right across the back of the weapon, allowing for quickly adaptable left or right positioning of the weapon. Registration geometry may be added and positioned to further allow interface with weapon geometry and prevent rotation of the fitting during use. The connection bar may be positioned on another component of the weapon, such as the receiver or the stock, should the weapon not have a receiver extension tube. A convertible sling and forward sling mount are also disclosed for cooperative use with the fitting, completing the system.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority as continuation of prior filedU.S. application Ser. No. 12/688,775, filed Jan. 15, 2010, and nowissued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,504, issued Dec. 3, 2013, which is in turna non-provisional perfection of prior filed U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/145,106, filed Jan. 15, 2009, and incorporates both of theseapplications herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of firearms and moreparticularly relates to a sling fitting for attachment of a sling to along firearm and an associated sling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Slings are regularly used with firearms to allow for a convenient methodof carry and for weapon retention in dynamic environments. Traditionalslings mount onto the bottom of a weapon at two points, fore and aft,allowing for suitable carry over long distances and may be used as asteadying aid to improve weapon accuracy. While it offers the user theability to carry the weapon comfortably over the shoulder or securelyacross the back, the traditional, bottom-mounted 2-point sling hindersweapon usage in dynamic combat environments since the weapon is stowedin a non-useable orientation. While 2-point slings may be used in combatas an accuracy aid by being wrapped around the arm or other techniques,this encumbers the user through entanglement in the sling itself and ismostly useful only for long-range engagements.

Due to these limitations, side-mounted 2-point or 3-point slings weredeveloped to allow for improved usage as these systems allow the user tocarry a weapon comfortably on the front of the body in a usablelow-ready position instead of over the back or shoulder. These systemstypically incorporate the ability to carry over-the-back or shoulder,like a traditional sling, since these carry positions are useful forclimbing, swimming, low (belly) crawling or when maximum frontaldexterity is needed when carrying supplies or wounded. While theseslings were a major improvement over the traditional sling, theyprimarily were intended for use from a single-side and require manualadjustment to allow for transitions from side-to-side in dynamicsituations. Additionally due to the amount of strap material used towrap around the body they can also interfere with chest-mountedequipment, such as on load-bearing vests. Traditionally, sling swivelshave been used to secure slings to the weapon. These swivels have takenmany forms but they all have similar characteristics: namely, they arerotatable (swivel) about a point and are usually an elongated loopthrough which sling material may be threaded. They have been positionedon either side of the weapon, so that the sling may be said to bemounted on either side, or on the upper and lower surfaces of theweapon, so that the sling may be said to be mounted along the weapon, ora combination thereof.

Recently, soldiers have more frequently been encountering dynamic battlescenarios such as enemies at close range, urban and confined-spaceengagements which make a more nimble sling system necessary. One suchsling in current use is what could be termed a point-type sling, likethe SINGLE-POINT® sling by Wilderness Tactical Products, LLC. This styleof sling connects to the weapon at a single point, usually on the sideof the weapon, between the traditional fore and aft connection points ofa 2-point sling. A point type sling usually mounts aft of the grip butforward of a traditional rear sling mount. The sling may be threadeddirectly through a loop that is mounted on the weapon or the sling maybe furnished with attachment hardware that clips into a ring orquick-detach cup mounted to the weapon at that location. Regardless ofthe actual mounting method, this point type mounting allows for greaterfreedom of motion as compared to traditional 2-point slings which spanmost of the length of the firearm. Additionally they have less loosestrap material to become entangled in chest-mounted equipment. However,one disadvantage of the point-type sling is that it requires constanthands-on control of the weapon during movement as otherwise it willswing like a pendulum and may become unwieldy when not in use.Furthermore due to the instability of this configuration, it is notoptimized for comfortable carrying of the weapon over long periods oftime or long distances.

Convertible sling systems have been developed to address the limitationsof both the side-mounted 2-point slings and the point-type sling andallow the user to easily optimize the sling system for the mission athand. This resolves many of the limitations of the individual carrymethods by allowing the user to rapidly configure and select the mode ofcarry. However, even with the advent of the convertible sling system,there still exists a major limitation: the ability to rapidly transitionthe weapon from side-to-side without additional manual operations.

The use of any sling, by its nature, encumbers the user by placing theweapon on the user's body. While convenient for carrying the weapon andsecuring it against loss, slings must be inherently made for use of theweapon while the sling and weapon are still attached to the body of theuser. Most slings account for this and will usually allow a user toassume the user's dominant shooting position (usually a left orright-handed stance, while standing, kneeling or prone). In the majorityof situations up to this time, this allowance has been sufficient.

Due to the demands more frequently encountered close-range urban combat,there is need for multiple carry options and a quick side-to-sidetransition capability lacking in the prior art. The lack of thiscapability is particularly hazardous when hunting for a hidden enemy as,when looking around corners and other obstacles, a soldier mustoccasionally expose his or her body to obtain an appropriate look. Tocompensate for this obvious danger, soldiers will typically change theirstance (i.e. going from a right-handed stance to a left-handed stance)in order to look around such obstacles and still cover most of theirbodies with the obstacle they are looking around. This procedure ishindered (and depending on the configuration, prohibited) when using asling that is hard mounted to one side of the weapon. In order toeffectively look, the sling must be extended to its largest possibleconfiguration or the soldier must simply remove the sling, which botheliminates its usefulness and creates a tangling hazard. What is neededthen is a sling that can migrate between left and right-handed stancesand accommodate other possible positions a user may use in the course ofbattle or for convenient carry and retention, while simultaneouslymaintaining the sling in a secure fashion on the weapon.

Generally, sling fittings are used to provide mounting points for one ofmore of the various sling types and configurations. Sling fittings areprimarily produced in front, rear and more recently point-typevarieties. As an example, the AR15/M16 was not designed to accept apoint type sling but many such sling fittings are on the market todaywhich modify the weapon and provide such mounts, each with their ownindividual advantages. For this system the mount is usually a plate thatslides over a receiver tube of the firearm and resides between thereceiver and the stock when the weapon is assembled. The plate thenpresents planar attachment loops along its sides to allow for connectionof the sling. Loops may be small elliptical holes for point-slingattachment with a clip or elongated slots for threading sling webbingthrough the plate. In both cases the attachment point is planar, withinthe plane of the plate and along the side of the weapon. Being along oneside of the weapon, then, presents the adaptability difficultiespresented above.

The present invention includes a sling fitting with a transitionalcrossbar that allows a point-type sling to cross from left to rightacross the weapon. It presents registration geometry so as to interfacewith the weapon and keep the fitting from rotating. The presentinvention represents a departure from the prior art in that the fittingof the present invention allows for transitional use of a point-typesling so that it may be used in either a left or right-handed stancewithout detachment from the weapon, does not require manual adjustment,and allows a greater range of motion in general. It also still keeps thesling securely attached to the weapon. The invention also includes asling convertible between a two-point and a one-point mounting with arapid length adjustment feature to accommodate different modes of carrysuch as over-the-shoulder, across-the-back, two-point or point-type lowready.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofslings and sling fittings, this invention provides a sling fitting andassociated sling capable of allowing advantageous positional shifts by auser of a firearm. As such, the present invention's general purpose isto provide a new and improved sling system that allows a point slingattachment to migrate between the left and right sides of a weaponreceiver. In so doing, the sling fitting allows for left-handed orright-handed use of the firearm. Additionally a convertible sling whichmay be used with or without said sling fitting is designed to complementthe functionality of that transition.

To accomplish these objectives, the sling fitting comprises a main bodywith an aperture allowing the body to slide over a receiver tube of along firearm, such as an AR15/M16. Geometry is fashioned on the body topermit registration of the fitting with other parts of the weapon, suchas the receiver and/or the receiver tube and stock. On a reverse side ofthe fitting, a connection bar is presented that crosses a central axisof the fitting such that a portion of the bar can be said to be on aleft side of the fitting and another portion can be said to be on aright side of the fitting.

In use, a point-type sling mount is attached to the connection bar. Thistype of mount is essentially a clip or link that attaches the sling tothe weapon. Being a non-threaded, mechanical interface, the point-typemount will be able to slide along the connection bar to either the leftor right side. This interface structure then allows a user to hold theweapon in either a left-handed or a right-handed stance and generallyallows more freedom of movement with the weapon, overcoming thedrawbacks of the prior art. An auxiliary link may be present on the barso that the sling may be attached to said link for greater articulationof the connection structure and, therefore, greater range of movement.

The sling then, will clip on the point-type sling fitting and a forwardsling mount. When desired, the user may unclip the forward connectionfrom the forward sling mount and position it on a specialized loop onthe sling body for a one-point mounting centered upon the said slingfitting. The sling also presents a quick adjustment configuration byhaving a sliding buckle which controls strap length and is attached to aloop handle for easy manual operation.

The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined inorder that the more detailed description that follows may be betterunderstood and in order that the present contribution to the art maybetter be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will bedescribed hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claimsthat follow.

Many objects of this invention will appear from the followingdescription and appended claims, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein likereference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applicationto the details of construction and the arrangements of the componentsset forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced andcarried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front, left, top perspective view of a rear sling fittingmade in accordance with the described invention.

FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a right plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a left plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a rear, right, top perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a rear, right, bottom perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a front, right, bottom perspective view of the sling fittingof FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a front, right, top perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a front, left, bottom perspective view of the sling fittingof FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a rear, left, top perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a rear, left, bottom perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 15 is a front, left, top perspective view of a front sling fittingmade in accordance with the described invention.

FIG. 16 is a front plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a rear plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 15.

FIG. 18 is a right plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 15.

FIG. 19 is a left plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 15.

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 15.

FIG. 21 is a bottom plan view of the sling fitting of FIG. 15.

FIG. 22 is a rear, right, top perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 23 is a rear, right, bottom perspective view of the sling fittingof FIG. 15.

FIG. 24 is a front, right, bottom perspective view of the sling fittingof FIG. 15.

FIG. 25 is a front, right, top perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 26 is a front, left, bottom perspective view of the sling fittingof FIG. 15.

FIG. 27 is a rear, left, top perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 28 is a rear, left, bottom perspective view of the sling fitting ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 29 is a top plan view of a sling for the present invention.

FIG. 30 is a side plan view of the sling of FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is a bottom plan view of the sling of FIG. 29.

FIG. 32 is a top perspective view of a firearm with the integralembodiment of the connection bar used in the present invention.

FIG. 33 is a bottom perspective view of the firearm of FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is a top perspective view of a firearm with another embodimentof the integral connection bar used in the present invention.

FIG. 35 is a plan view of an alternate sling fitting with an attachedauxiliary link and different registration geometry than that of FIG. 3.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of the sling fitting of FIG. 35 installedon a firearm with the sling of FIG. 29 attached.

FIG. 37 is a close-up plan view of the sling of FIG. 29, in a singlepoint attachment mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of thesling fitting is herein described. It should be noted that the articles“a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this specification, include pluralreferents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

With reference to FIGS. 1-14 generally, the rear fitting 1 comprises amain fitting body 10 with an ovular shape. The wider portion of the mainbody circumscribes and defines an aperture 12, through which a receivertube will slide when the fitting 1 is installed. A registration tab 14is present in the lower part of aperture 12, extending from thecircumference of the aperture, to register the sling fitting 1 on thereceiver tube, as the receiver tubes for adjustable and collapsiblestocks have a distal grove throughout the length of the tube. For fixedstock applications, where no such groove is present, registration tab 14may be omitted. The lower portion of the fitting body 10 is narrower andpresents a registration body 16 and a connection bar 20, defining theobverse (with the registration body 16), and reverse (with theconnection bar 20) of the fitting body 10. Registration body 16 projectsperpendicularly from the fitting body 10 and is utilized to register thefitting into the receiver of a weapon and prevent rotation of thefitting 1, along with the registration tab 14. Registration body 16 maytake any shape so long as it comports with the registration hole in thereceiver. The depicted registration body 16 is an elliptical wall,radially spaced from a center of the aperture. It is to be easilyunderstood that the registration body 16 may be a solid ellipse, orother shape, or it may even be a suitably sized nut welded in place. Solong as it is appropriately sized and shaped to fit the receiver, theregistration body 16 will work, and such variations of size and shapeare to be understood to be included in this specification. Perpendicularprojections 18 rise from the obverse of the fitting body 10 and also aidin registration of the fitting 1 into the receiver as theseperpendicular projections 18 fit around the edges of the receiver, asshown in FIG. 36. These additional projections are added in thepreferred embodiment, but could also be omitted. They may also bepositioned, placed and formed in any manner to register with geometry ofthe weapon's receiver or stock. Registration tab may be omitted orreplaced by alternate registration geometry, such as registration slot72 in FIG. 35, depending upon the firearm with which the fitting isdesired to be used.

For those firearms without a receiver extension tube, other weaponcomponents, particularly the stock and/or receiver, may be made with aconnection bar 34, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33. In this embodiment,another main weapon component, such as stock 32, is fashioned with anadded transverse connection bar 34 what is located in a distal locationof the component, extends rearwards, and spans across the component froma left to right side with sufficient clearance to allow the sling toclip onto the bar and move from side to side. For top mounted slingsystems, where weapon geometry may prohibit a distal mounting,connection bar 34 may be mounted dorsally, as shown in FIG. 34.Connection bar 34 may be fashioned integrally with the component or maybe added later through any sufficiently durable connection means, suchas welding, bolting, etc. In any event, the connection bar 34 must berigid and maintain its orientation relative to the weapon so as tofacilitate clipping of the sling to the connection bar 34 and eliminatepossible length variance in the sling that could result from a non-rigidconnection bar.

A forward sling mount 60 is also provided, shown in FIGS. 15-28. Theforward sling mount is rail mounted for easy attachment and presents aconnection loop 66 for attachment of sling attachment hardware. Theforward mount features a main body 62 with a hooked end 64 that hooksbeneath the loop 66. A bore/trough 68 extends through the hooked end 64to allow a bolt passage therethrough and eventual connection with ageneric connection block (not shown) to grip a rail.

In manufacture, the fittings may be made of any suitable material,including metals like steel and aluminum, and suitably strong plastics,though such plastics must be able to withstand intense heat and rigorsof use. Any known method of fashioning the fitting may be employed,including but not limited to molding, stamping, pressing, casting,welding and soldering. Actual dimensions will be dependent upon therequirements for the type of weapon for which the fitting was made. Asrails are ubiquitous, the dimensions for the forward sling fitting areeasily ascertained. As an example, for an AR15/M16 rifle, the dimensionsof the rear sling fitting should be approximately 1.8 inches at itswidest point (where the connection bar 20 connects to the sling fitting)and should have an overall length of about 2.1 inches. The connectionbar 20 should extend outward at least 0.2 inches from the fitting body10 and have a diameter of approximately 0.2 inches or more, yielding aminimum overall projection of about 0.4 inches to the far edge of theconnection bar 20. The thickness of the connection bar 20, beingcylindrical body as opposed to a cut out slot, provides strength towithstand constant use from a point sling connection. A 0.2 inch gapbetween the connection bar 20 and the main fitting body 10 will allowmost clips used with modern slings today to clip onto the connection bar20 and slide along its length unhindered. The overall (planar) thicknessof the fitting body should be about 0.1 inches, with extending geometryincreasing that thickness as necessary. The aperture 12 should have aradius of about 0.6 inches and leave a minimum of 0.1 inches of a ringtherearound. The connection bar 20 should occupy a plane parallel to aplane defined by the planar body, separated therefrom by two prong endsof the connection bar 20 that extend generally perpendicularly from it,though any angle that provides adequate distance from the main body 10and maintains appropriate location of the connection bar 20,specifically beneath the weapon stock and behind the receiver, will bewithin the purview of the invention. The preferred structure of thefitting then, positions the connection bar 10 directly above the mainbody of the fitting 10. The connection bar 20 is immovable with respectto the fitting body 10. The fitting body 10, when installed, is fixed inposition by the receiver tube and stock due to the registrationstructure of the fitting. As a result, the connection bar 20 maintainsis position relative to the weapon. This is necessary for optimalperformance and use as it provides consistency for the user to know howan attached sling should and will behave under use.

A preferred sling is disclosed in FIGS. 29-31. The preferred sling iscomprises a strap 40 with two ends featuring connection hardware 42, 44.The preferred fore end connection hardware 42 being a clip, like the“alligator” style clip depicted, while the rearward connection hardware44 is preferred to be less easily opened, somewhat narrower, andsecurely locked for use, such as the snap-hook connector shown in theFigures. Any known or later discovered clip or securing mechanism may beused for the sling connection hardware 42, 44. For a two-pointconnection paradigm, the ends connect to a forward mounting point (likeconnection loop 66) on the weapon and the connection bar 20. The slingis convertible from a two-point to a one-point connection paradigm byremoving the fore end 42 from the forward mounting point and securing itto connection ring 48 located near but not proximate the rearward end44, as shown in FIG. 37. This creates a continuous loop for securing theweapon to the user. A rapid adjustment buckle 50 is located on the sling40 and folds a length of the sling on itself 54 to shorten its overalllength. A handle 52 is located on the buckle 50 for easier manipulationof the buckle 50 so that it may slide relative to the sling 40 andeither increase or decrease the folded portion of the sling 54, andthereby affect the length of the sling 40. In use, the handle 52 is athumb loop connected to both edges of the rapid adjustment buckle 50 andthe end of the sling fabric 56 so that the user may hook the handle 52with a thumb and thereby bias the buckle into a more free flowingposition relative the sling 40 for easier adjustment. A regularadjustment buckle 46 may also be provided. The sling may be made of anysuitable material, including nylon webbing or other fabric, with theconnection hardware also being any known means to clip the sling ontothe connection points. Suitable materials for the connection loop 48 andbuckle 50 may be a durable plastic or metal such as brass, steel oraluminum.

In use, a sling is attached to the connection bar 20 through apoint-type attachment like snap loop 44. The connection bar 20 spans adistance beneath the aperture 12 and projects generally perpendicularlyfrom the fitting body 10. Positioning then is just behind the receiver,below the stock, as shown in FIG. 36. Connection bar 20 may bow slightlyto conform to the shape of the aperture 12 and in so doing likewiseconform to the shape of a receiver tube and the stock. The connectionbar 20 spans across an axis of symmetry 2 (FIG. 3) in regards to theshape of the fitting body 10, so that portions of the bar can be said toreside on a left side or a right side of the fitting body. When apoint-style sling is attached, the attachment clip 44 may then slidealong the connection bar 20 to either a left or a right side of thefitting, thus allowing the sling to slide along a left or right side ofthe weapon. This then provides the adaptability desired over the priorart. The connection point may be a link 70 mounted upon connection bar20, as shown in FIGS. 34-36. Use of a link 70 provides greaterarticulation of the joint and thereby increases the range of motion ofthe sling so that there may be over 180 degrees of motion about themounting point of the sling. This in turn aids greatly in theadaptability of the sling to different stances and positions of theuser.

Although the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be madeand still the result will come within the scope of the invention. Nolimitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein isintended or should be inferred.

What is claimed is:
 1. A rear sling fitting for a long firearmcomprising: a. a planar fitting body having two symmetrical sides, anobverse face and reverse face and an aperture in a top portion of saidsling fitting body; b. a registration body projecting from the obverseface of the fitting body, beneath the aperture; c. two prongs projectingperpendicularly from the reverse face of the fitting body, each havingan end opposite the reverse face and located at generally the sameheight away from the reverse face, the prongs being located on oppositesides of the fitting body from the other; d. a connection bar extendingbetween the ends of the two prongs.
 2. The sling fitting of claim 1,further comprising at least one registration tab extending into theaperture from a circumference of the aperture.
 3. The sling fitting ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one registration slot fashionedalong a circumference of the aperture.
 4. The sling fitting of claim 3,further comprising at least one other registration projection.
 5. Thesling fitting of claim 4, further comprising a link situated on theconnection bar.
 6. The sling fitting of claim 2, further comprising atleast one other registration projection.
 7. The sling fitting of claim6, further comprising a link situated on the connection bar.
 8. Thesling fitting of claim 1, further comprising at least one otherregistration projection.
 9. The sling fitting of claim 8, furthercomprising a link situated on the connection bar.
 10. The sling fittingof claim 1, further comprising a link situated on the connection bar.11. A sling system comprising: a. the sling fitting of claim 1; b. aforward sling mount; c. a first flexible strap having two ends, onebeing fitted with connection hardware suitable for interfacing with thesling fitting; d. a second flexible strap having two ends and havingconnection hardware, movable in relation to the second flexible strapand suitable for interfacing with the forward sling mount; e. aconnection ring joining the first and second flexible straps by theirrespective ends the do not have connection hardware; and f. at least oneadjustment buckle, situated on the second flexible strap such that thestrap folds over itself, creating an adjustment loop that contains theconnection hardware of the second strap, a size of which is dependentupon the buckle's location relative the strap; wherein the slingconverts from being mounted on two points to one point by removing theconnection hardware from the forward sling mount and placing it on theconnection ring, thereby creating a loop wearable on a user.
 12. Thesling system of claim 11, further comprising a handle located on atleast one buckle to facilitate manipulation of said buckle and theadjustment loop.